It's November, and no doubt about it, someone somewhere around the world is groaning because there is Christmas stuff everywhere. Gone are the spooky designs and decorations of Halloween past, half off are the candy and costume selections. Welcome the brightly lit Christmas tree and light displays, the endless rows of ornaments and the unmistakable smell of peppermint everything. It's my favorite time of the year, November first, because that means Christmas time is rolling in again. But it's not everyone's cup of tea. Lately, our generation has been obsessed with the idea of Halloween. I couldn't tell you why, I was never a fan of it. I don't like scary movies or being scared, I only like dressing up and picking pumpkins. I also like the half off candy selection, but that ties into my November first antics. With such a growing cult of Halloween fans, there's no time for Christmas fans to rejoice. Halloween fans seem to despise the fact that Target begins setting up Christmas decorations well into October and that retail stores already are blasting "Deck the Halls" through their sales floors. Even Starbucks has their holiday menu out.
I get it, Christmas isn't everyone's cup of tea, but we should get our time to shine too. Halloween gets September and October. Christmas gets November and December. Simple, yet effective way to keep everyone happy. Or so we thought. Why do people still cringe at the fact that Christmas music is already filling our radio airways with sweet music? Why do people cringe at the fact that I listen to Christmas music in July? Why is it nearly condemnable to want to put your Christmas tree up in early November?
Why is it such a crime to be excited over something you love?
We're also growing up in a culture where a person's favorite activities are often judged and scrutinized for no reason. This "war on Christmas" is also something I feel like has become increasingly scrutinized. Sure, November may seem a bit early to start rolling out the decorations, but think about it. November is crunch time. It's a time for people to get Christmas shopping done, holiday decorations purchased and menus prepared for the holidays. It's not one of those "do it the last minute and hope it turns out okay" holidays, no sir. It takes planning. Practice. Everything has to be perfect. There isn't a DIY tutorial online suitable enough to take on the challenge of a family Christmas.
So, if you're still stuck in the place of November being to early to start the Christmas festivities, I say put a Santa hat on and learn to enjoy. You're not stopping me from blasting Christmas music in my car anyway.
